Pan’an County: Shibawo Scenic Resort and the best tea terraces in Zhejiang

Last Updated on 17 January 2026 by Cycloscope

Shibawo Scenic Resort in Pan’an County – Zhejiang

One of the best weekend trips from Hangzhou or Zhejiang is the Scenic Resort of Shibawo, in the village of Jianshanzhen, Pan’an County, Zhejiang province. The area is beautiful and features some of the best tea terraces in China (or at least in Zhejiang).

There are two scenic areas here, Shibawo and Wolongxia, along with Dapanshan Geopark, another natural attraction situated south of the city of Anwen, quite far from Jianshanzehn.

But the best of this place is not one of these; it’s instead free, and you can find it with the help of this little guide about things to do and see in Pan’an County.

This post is part of our weekend getaways from Shanghai or Hangzhou, a collection of great off-the-beaten-path spots in Zhejiang and Jiangsu.

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The best things to see in Pan’an County

How to get to Pan’an County and Shibawo Scenic Resort

Not so easy and quick to get here, unfortunately. We arrived at Shibawo from Anwen (Pan’an) by e-bike, less than 50km on a very scenic road, itself worth the trip.

If you’re not lucky enough to have your own transportation, take a bus from Hangzhou to Anwen, Panan County’s capital; it’s regular and takes about 2.5 hours.

From Shanghai, there’s a bus once a day that takes about 5 hours, so it’s better to travel by train to Hangzhou and then take the bus from there.

From Yiwu, buses are frequent and take about 1.5 hours.
To get to the village of Jianshanzhen and the Shibawo scenic area, take a local bus from Anwen bus station.

Alternatively, you can take the fast train from Hangzhou to Ningbo, then a bus to Tiantai (spend a day sightseeing there if you have time).

From Tiantai, you can hire a taxi (shouldn’t cost more than 150 RMB), or ask if there’s a bus; I’m pretty sure there is, but I couldn’t find it online.

Anwen, the capital city of Pan’an County

Anwen is apparently nothing special, but it has its charm. No big avenues here, instead there are a few main streets, lined with trees, and a pleasant riverside, along the Anwen Brook, which is larger than the name may suggest. At night, the riverside is lighted by iridescent LED lights and red lanterns.

Pan’an is somehow the city of junk food; a lot of small places sell fried stuff, grilled buns, and even Takoyaki.

When we were there (during the golden week, in early October), a lot of street vendors sold delicious chestnuts, fresh fruit was everywhere and very tasty, and there was also a small traditional market. Musicians playing traditional Chinese instruments gathered in a pavilion near the river.

Green mountains surround Anwen; two small ones are adjacent to the town center and are used as city parks. There’s a small old town, interesting to stroll through, where you can admire the traditional architecture and lifestyle of Zhejiang.

The road to Shibawo Scenic Resort

This road is just excellent, a reason in itself to visit this area. If you have the chance to ride this 50km by bicycle or e-bike, you should absolutely go for it.

The road is improperly named Panxin Highway since it is more of a mountain road than a highway. It leaves the S218 (connecting Pan’an to Xianju and passing by the Dapanshan geopark) in the village of Molinxiang, then goes through the mountains, beside a beautiful river, and crosses many old traditional villages famous for hosting curious festivals.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t understand more about these festivals, when and exactly where they are held remains a mystery, we just saw a big horse made of papier mache.

Approaching Jianshanzhen, tea plantations start to flourish everywhere, and wildflowers line the road in a booming of colors. From Jianshanzhen, there are 6km more to get down the valley to Shibawo, a spectacular series of steep turnpikes that really challenged our electric scooter on the way back.

This is also the road that leads to Tiantai, if you proceed further to this other tourist destination you won’t regret it, the scenery remains astounding.

Shibawo Scenic Resort

The natural park of Shibawo is a bit of a tourist trap. Don’t get me wrong, the place is charming, but the entry fee of 65RMB is absolutely overpriced. Moreover, anything will dim if you have visited Shenxianju before.

The park consists of a loop hike: the first part is in the woods above the Jiaxi river; the vegetation is very varied and, allegedly, so is the wildlife, with pictures of a sort of cute armadillo everywhere (it’s probably improbable that you’re going to meet this guy in person).

The second part is along the river, geologically and scenically interesting for its many potholes and weird rock formations.

This place could just be perfect if only you could swim in the river. Unfortunately, this is forbidden, though I’m not sure anyone will complain if you take a short bath when the place isn’t crowded.

Inside the park, there is a waterslide (45 RMB) and a small adventure park (30 RMB). You can also sail for a short distance on a bamboo raft,similar to the ones we saw in Xianju (10 RMB).

The whole hike is straightforward: about 3km, mostly flat, doable in less than 2 hours at a very slow pace with many picture stops.

Wolonxia Scenic Area

Wolonxia is a brand-new scenic area upstream from the same Jiaxi River. There is a suspended glass bridge, a zip line, and an electric car that brings you down the valley to another stroll along the riverside, where it is possible to take a boat ride to a big waterfall.

We didn’t go in, the basic fee is 60RMB plus many additions for each of the things mentioned above, up to 130RMB, really too much for a walk along the river and a waterfall. But don’t worry, you can enjoy a great view of the waterfall for free, following the instructions from the next chapter.

Tea Terraces and Traditional Village

The real reason to come to Jianshanzhen is the rural life; here, there are some of the best tea terraces in China (or at least in Zhejiang) and one of the most beautiful traditional villages we’ve ever seen.

It is located south of the town, to get there, take a left before reaching Wolonxia’s entrance, it’s very easy to find it, take any narrow alley where you see old houses and cultivated fields.

The dwelling is astounding, with so many different house styles: top floors made of wood, dry walls of various colors, mud houses, and a lotus pond in the middle of the village.

You’ll see people busy with their daily activities, unfortunately, only old people; the younger have left for more lucrative jobs. That’s a sad truth and a serious issue in China, where very old people are doing challenging work.

From the village, you can easily enter the fields. The villagers were pleased to see us wanting to explore their cultivation and appreciate their work. Head towards the river, which is some hundreds of meters down; if you go far enough, you’ll be rewarded with one of the most amazing views you can find in Zhejiang.

The gorge will open before you, marvelous tea terraces all around, going steeply down in the canyon, a vegetable garden forming geometric patterns, and last but not least, the incredible sight of the very same waterfall you’re asked 65RMB to see at Wolonxia. The waterfall is about 100m high and very scenic.

Dapanshan Geopark

Dapanshan Geopark is another scenic area in Panan County, situated about 20km south of Anwen, next to the S40 road. We haven’t been there and haven’t found any information online.

If you are in the area, give it a try and maybe let us know what you think in the comments below.

Where to sleep in Shibawo

There are a few cheap hotels in Jianshanzhen, and a few more expensive ones near Wolonxia. We stayed at the Xi’an Hotel for just 170RMB in peak season. The room was very nice, with a beautiful view over the tea terraces.

Use Ctrip to book your stay; it’s the best booking service in China, and they’re professional and helpful.

Best VPNs for China

To access most of the internet in China, you’ll need a VPN (Virtual Private Network) app. Most of the biggest websites are banned in China, including:

• all Google products (even Gmail)
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• and many others

The best VPNs are Express and Astrill. We have used Express VPN for a couple of years and have never had any major problems. It is absolutely recommended and worth the price.

There are also numerous free VPNs, but many do not work or are only available for a limited time each day, usually an hour.

This post is part of our weekend getaways from Shanghai or Hangzhou, a collection of great off-the-beaten-path spots in Zhejiang and Jiangsu.

Check Also

• The Taoist mountains of Shenxianju
• The great wall without crowds: Linhai
• Zhoushan and Dongji Dao, the best islands in Zhejiang
• Sanmen, islands, caves, wetlands, and tasty crab
• WuYi: The best hot springs in Zhejiang
• The holy mountains of Tiantai